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Area Briefing, Aug. 28-Sept. 3

Five valley governments recently launched an interagency recruitment drive for firefighters, and several informational outreach events are planned for those who are interested in applying.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and the Henderson, North Las Vegas, Clark County and Boulder City fire departments are partnering on the regional effort, pooling resources to save taxpayer money and make recruitment more efficient.

Applications will be accepted only online at snvfirerecruitment.com from Oct. 27-Nov. 26.

The outreach events are planned for:

— 1-3 p.m. Aug. 25 inside the Commission Chambers at the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. The session is set to be recorded for playback at snvfirerecruitment.com. It also can be viewed live on the agenda page at clarkcountynv.gov.

— 1-3 p.m. Aug. 28 at Las Vegas City Hall Council Chambers, 495 S. Main St.

Federal law requires background checks on gun sales at licensed dealers, but firearms can be legally purchased from unlicensed sellers with no background check. The Background Check Initiative would require that unlicensed sales and transfers be conducted through a licensed gun dealer, leveling the playing field and ensuring a background check is conducted each time.

Supporters recently gathered at Victory Missionary Baptist Church, 500 W. Monroe Ave., to sign the petition for the ballot measure. Attendees included clergy members, law enforcement personnel and community leaders. The goal is to obtain more than 100,000 signatures over the next few months.

For more information on Nevadans for Background Checks, visit safenevada.org.

If parents suspect their children are using drugs or alcohol, they should:

— Look through their room and personal items.

— Talk with them to find out what’s going on.

— Lock up any alcohol or prescription drugs that might be in the home.

— Refrain from giving them cash, and ensure they have a packed lunch for school rather than money to buy it.

— Seek counseling for them.

For more information on Solutions Recovery, visit solutions-recovery.com or call its 24-hour hotline at 855-708-6995.

TWO HENDERSON POLICE STATIONS TO CEASE DESK SERVICES TEMPORARILY

The Henderson Police Department has consolidated desk services at its Main Police Station, 223 Lead St., to free up more officers for patrols and emergency response.

Desk officers are set to be available from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, including holidays, to answer questions, take reports and assist with nonemergency requests.

Desk services are scheduled to temporarily close at the West Police Station, 300 S. Green Valley Parkway, and at the North Police Station, 225 E. Sunset Road. The stations are slated to resume services once officers in the police academy are fully trained and staffing levels improve, expected by summer of 2015.

Residents also have the option of filing police reports for nonviolent crimes at cityofhenderson.com/police. Reports can deal with minor theft, vandalism, lost property and accidents on private property. A crime can be filed online only if there is no information about suspects. Traffic accident reports for closed cases are available online at no charge from crashdocs.org.

Residents who file online reports will receive a temporary report by email. A police supervisor will review it to ensure the required information has been provided. If approved, reports are assigned a number that is emailed to the resident who filed it.

Reports are reviewed by police, and if approved, they are assigned a number that is emailed to the resident who filed it.

There have been 5,608 reports filed electronically since the department’s online reporting system was launched in October 2011.

NEW COAST GUARD AUXILIARY GROUP FORMS IN VALLEY

Residents are welcome to join a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla that was formed in July in Southern Nevada’s 11th District-South.

The unit teaches boating safety to people who use Lake Mead and parts of the Colorado River. Auxiliary volunteers also can take on assignments in areas such as communications, finance, human resources, public education, diversity and aviation.

The flotilla meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the third Monday at the North Las Vegas Airport, 2730 Airport Drive, and the next session is set for Sept. 15. The initial meeting in July was attended by 20 new members and about 24 potential members.

Auxiliary members come from all walks of life, including tradesmen, medical professionals, security personnel, artists, musicians, educators and retirees.

The group’s core values are the same as the U.S. Coast Guard’s: honor, respect and devotion to duty.

To attend a meeting or for more information, call Cmdr. Barry Keller at 702-219-2236 or visit goaux.us.

WEST NILE-POSITIVE MOSQUITOS FOUND IN CLARK COUNTY

A number of mosquitos from certain parts of the valley have tested positive for the West Nile virus, but no cases of infected Clark County residents have been reported, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

The mosquitos were found in the 89103, 89107, 89129, 89138 and 89149 ZIP codes.

Last year, the health district received reports of nine infected people. Officials advise residents to take precautions against the disease by using insect repellents and eliminating sources of standing water that support mosquito breeding.

For more prevention tips, visit the health district’s West Nile virus page on its website at tinyurl.com/westniletipsclarkcounty. For updates about the virus, visit the district’s West Nile statistics page at tinyurl.com/westnileupdates.

MCGRUFF MOBILE APP CREATED FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN

A new app is available to help students stay safe during the school year.

AlertID has partnered with the National Crime Prevention Council to create the McGruff mobile app, available free at alertid.com.

After creating an AlertID account, users can receive law enforcement alerts, crime and sex offender alerts, prevention tips and more. The app also includes a virtual Neighborhood Watch where users can share photos and information regarding suspicious activity with neighbors, police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Users also can view an interactive map displaying crimes and sex offenders in their neighborhoods. They can receive alerts and information via email or mobile device for multiple locations, such as their homes, schools, offices or current locations.

COUNTY WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES EARN AWARDS

Two Gold Peak Performance Awards were recently presented to two Clark County Water Reclamation District facilities by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

The Flamingo and the Laughlin water resource center treatment facilities yielded the honor. The facilities were two of 158 wastewater plants nationally to earn the award. This is the second consecutive year the Flamingo facility has achieved the distinction.

The Peak Performance Awards program recognizes public agency facilities for excellence in wastewater treatment as measured by their compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits. The Gold Award honors sites that have achieved 100 percent compliance for a year.

After the first portion of the project, expected to take 90 days, one side of Fort Apache will be closed one block at a time, diverting all traffic to the other side, with one lane open in each direction, according to the city of Las Vegas.

The project will consist of constructing a 12-foot-by-6-foot concrete box under Fort Apache, with associated concrete pipe, junction and inlet structures and manholes, connecting two major lateral storm drains to the main system at Deer Springs Way and Echelon Point Drive.

Work hours are scheduled for 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the project is expected to take 12 months. Drivers should use Durango Drive or Hualapai Way as alternate routes for north-south travel, and Farm Road or the 215 Beltway for east-west travel.

The cost is $10, with all proceeds going to the Injured Police Officers Fund.

Participants must provide their own mat. The session for beginner or intermediate level.

To reserve a spot, call 702-362-9000.

HENDERSON SEEKS APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY RECOGNITION PROGRAM

The city of Henderson plans to honor active military personnel with banners bearing each one’s name, rank and image.

Henderson residents, businesses and organizations may nominate an honoree and sponsor his street banner for a $150 printing cost.

The Military Recognition Banner Program honoree must be a Henderson resident or the immediate family member of one and must be an active-duty military member in good standing.

The application deadline is Oct. 1. The street banners are scheduled to be installed around Veterans Day, set for Nov. 11, and displayed for a year. Once the banners are removed, honorees are slated to be recognized at a ceremony hosted by the city.

Nomination forms are available from the city Community Development and Services Department and can be requested by calling 702-267-1500 or visiting cityofhenderson.com/community_development.

VIDEOS IN SPANISH TO HELP RESIDENTS REPRESENT THEMSELVES IN FAMILY COURT

Several videos to help residents represent themselves in Clark County Family Court have been posted in Spanish at tinyurl.com/representyourself.

The videos include presentations by various county judges covering topics such as mediation, arguing a case, children in the courthouse and legal motions.

More than half of the people who appear in Family Court represent themselves, and many speak Spanish, county officials said.